New Forza does more than coffee

Meeting over drinks is an all-day opportunity with the June opening of Forza Coffee on Sullivan Road. Customers can kick start their day with a cup of coffee and just keep going.

While the shops’ staple is whole-bean coffee from the award-winning Dillanos Coffee Roasters in Sumner, Wash., beverage choices range from tea, Isagenix shakes and smoothies to a rotating wine and beer list that features Northwest wines and regional microbrews.

For Forza owner Paul Rodriguez, the options are a way to extend the cozy, community-focused flavor of the shop, which also offers breakfast sandwiches, paninis, pizza and appetizers.

On a recent afternoon he pointed out a table of regulars, who’d been catching up over coffee for several hours, with no pressure to turn the tables. “We want you to come and stay, to be here hanging out,” he said. “We want to create a family-friendly coffee shop.”

Customer Kimberly Benzel, said she likes Forza for the comfortable atmosphere. “They don’t rush you,” she said, adding that it’s her son’s favorite place for pizza and she likes that she can enjoy a leisurely glass of wine.

That’s exactly the vibe Rodriguez said he’s aiming for.

“We want to be a family friendly coffee shop. You can have your kids here hanging out and you don’t feel like they’re in a bar,” said Rodriguez, adding that they have live music on Friday nights. “The response has been awesome. There is nothing like this in the Valley.”

Rodriguez, who moved from Seattle to open Forza this summer, said it’s his main mission to be an ingrained and connected part of the community.

After visiting the Inland Northwest with his girlfriend, Rathdrum native Sarah Hooker, Rodriguez said he was drawn to the slower pace, lighter traffic and abundant recreational opportunities here. He was a project manager with stressful workdays that often involved endless rounds of confrontation. Not only did he want a change, he wanted something more meaningful.

“The job I had before had no connection with the community. I wanted to be a part of something,” he said, adding that he’s already making those connections in the Valley through the coffee shop.

Toward this goal, Rodriguez has positioned Forza as a fundraising partner for schools and churches. The business hosted a beer and brat benefit for Inland Baby Northwest, for example, and sponsored a whole bean fundraiser for Valley Christian Schools. And with close proximity to Central Valley High School, Forza is a football team supporter.

“We partner with schools and churches first and foremost,” said Rodriguez. “That’s where it all starts - community principles and good values. Who else am I going to hook up with?”

And as extension of Forza’s community vibe with a Northwest fitness flair, according to Forza’s Facebook page, they recently launched Forza runs on Wednesday nights at 6 p.m., so customers can run, walk or bike together and end the evening with food and drink.

“We’re here to support the local community,” said Rodriguez. “It’s an opportunity to reach out and be a part of something.”